DZIPARU MATE is the Latvian Goddess of yarn. Knitting was very important in the life of young Latvian women. Girls were expected to knit over fifty pairs of mittens before their wedding day, and the number of pairs a girl had made was one factor in finding a husband. On the wedding day, the bride would give out the mittens she had made to her in-laws. Dziparu Mate was called upon by these young knitters to watch over their yarn and make sure that it had no tangles. Also seen as DZIPARINA MAMULINA, her name means "yarn mother"--she is one of the many Latvian mother Goddesses or Mates.

"LAIMA" IS THE BALTIC GODDESS OF BIRTH AND FATE. SHE IS THE COSMIC SPINNER WHO DETERMINES WHETHER OUR LIVES WILL BE SHORT OR LONG; SHE CONTROLS ALL THE IMPORTANT EVENTS IN LIFE, SUCH AS BIRTH, MARRIAGE, AND DEATH. IT IS "LAIMA" WHO DETERMINES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EVENTS AND THE PASSING OF TIME, AND BY RECORDING SUCH EVENTS SUCH AS BIRTH INTO TIME, SHE GIVES MEANING TO OUR LIVES. THE NAME OF THIS GODDESS IS DERIVED FROM THE LITHUANIAN WORD "LAIME"...MEANING "HAPPINESS, LUCK." JULY IS HER SACRED MONTH, AND THE "LINDEN"

IS HER SACRED TREE.

SHE IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH GUARDING WOMEN AT CHILDBIRTH, AND DURING A BIRTH THE GRANDMOTHER OF THE CHILD OR THE MIDWIFE WILL LEAVE OUT MATS, TOWELS AND OTHER WOVEN MATERIALS FOR THE GODDESS IN HONOR OF THE WAY SHE IS ABOUT TO WEAVE THE LIFE OF THE BABY BEING BORN. SHE ALSO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THE EVENTS AND THE CRISIS IN THE LIVES OF WOMEN.

People made offerings to Her on rocks which bore the impression of feet. These are called the "Chairs of Laima." And at the "VAINIKINAS",OR "BINDING OF WREATHS", HELD AT THE " FULL MOON IN JULY", AT DUSK,YOUNG PEOPLE GO INTO THE WOODS AND PICK FLOWERS AND BRANCHES WHICH THEY WEAVE INTO WREATHS AND GARLANDS SINGING VERSES INVOKING THE BLESSING "DEAREST GODDESS LAIMA:"

Heaven's table has four corners All four are necessary At the first, the sun rises At the other, it sets At the third, Laima sits At the fourth, holy Muora FROM THE LATVIAN DAINA